Precious and semiprecious gemstones are commonly combined and placed in settings to form different types of jewelry in an infinite number of designs and configurations. The gemstones are generally set in position by employing standard prong support elements or they can be invisibly set, that is supported and maintained in place so that the settings are beneath the visible surface of the gemstone and thus cannot be seen, thereby enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the stones. Such xe2x80x9cinvisible settingsxe2x80x9d are accomplished in a variety of ways, for instance as seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,072,601, 5,123,265, and 6,003,335.
However, in all of these settings and in all prior settings in which gemstones are in flush surface to surface contact with each other to form a patterned design, the individual gemstones must be aligned and positioned such that the contact is between the linear, straight edges or girdles of the gemstones. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,813,246, 5,533,364 and 6,065,307 show examples of linear, surface to surface settings.
Currently, when rounded gemstones are to be arranged in a pattern, by using either prongs or invisible setting methods, the gemstones in these settings are not positioned in flush, surface to surface relationship. Instead, the rounded gemstone in these settings contact each other at one point, for example as seen in U. S. Pat. No. 5,848,539. While such settings may be invisible, they are not as aesthetically pleasing, since unsightly openings or spaces are present between the gemstones. Curved, contoured or rounded gemstones, or those generally convex in configuration, invisibly set flush, in curved surface to surface, mating configuration has heretofore been unknown in the art.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a rounded gemstone setting which results in a unique, continuous gemstone pattern, in which gemstones are in flush, curved surface to surface contact, free of interspersed openings or spaces.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a rounded gemstone setting in which individual rounded, curved, contoured or convexly configured gemstones in the setting are invisibly set in flush, surface to surface, mating relation.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a rounded gemstone setting in which gemstones can be invisibly set in flush, surface to surface, mating relation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a rounded gemstone setting which allows for a variety of patterns and designs of rounded, curved, contoured or convexly configured gemstones to be set invisibly, without unsightly spaces or cumbersome gemstone support mechanisms.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a rounded gemstone setting which allows for the placement of individual rounded, curved, contoured or convexly configured gemstones to be placed inset with other gemstones, in flush, surface to surface relationship with one another, thus enhancing the appearance of the setting.
The present invention employs a gemstone setting with rounded gemstones with outer faceted surfaces, each gemstone forming an outwardly contoured or convex gemstone configuration which is invisibly set in flush, surface to surface, mating relation within the setting. A section of a rounded configured gemstone is cut away, leaving a concave inset within and a curved concave inner surface on the gemstone. This concave configuration allows the partially cut away gemstone to mate in flush, surface to surface relation with the convex outer surface of the adjacent gemstone. Grooves within the side facets of the gemstone invisibly set the gemstones in position within supporting housings. The setting of gemstones in this fashion, employing surface to surface flush mating contact, can be used in infinite jewelry designs which employ rounded, curved edge, contoured or generally convex configured gemstones.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. However, both as to their design, construction, and use, together with additional features and advantages thereof, they are best understood upon review of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.